On 23 June, Palestinian refugee Mahmoud Abu Rideh appeared at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) to appeal against his continued detention without trial under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. 32-year-old Mahmoud was arrested in December 2001 soon after new ‘anti-terror’ legislation came into force in the UK, as a result of the
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Afghanistan’s never-ending tragedy
Despite the escalating violence and devastation in Afghanistan, European governments aim to forcibly repatriate Afghan asylum seekers. Instead, they should concentrate on the reconstruction of the country, and keeping pledges made to the Afghan people. Tackling refugee issues by introducing tough measures is the preferred approach of the immigration authorities in Europe. Unfortunately they fail
Nine months for white racist thugs who sparked the Oldham riots
A mob of football hooligans and neo-Nazis who terrorised the Asian community of Glodwick, Oldham, in May 2001, were cheered as ‘heroes’ by their supporters in the gallery of a Manchester court this week, as they heard that they had been sentenced to just nine months imprisonment. Following the sentencing of the so-called ‘Oldham 12’
No deportations to Iraq
‘Iraq unsafe, Kurdistan unsafe!’, were the words shouted by Iraqi and Kurdish protestors in front of the Home Office yesterday. Around fifty refugees gathered in front of the Home Office to protest against the government’s decision to repatriate asylum seekers to Iraq, a country that it deems now to be safe. The Home Office has
Denial of visitor visas for families
Ethnic minority communities in the UK face clampdown on visits from members of their family living abroad. Six national organisations – Citizens Advice, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association, the Law Society, the Immigration Advisory Service and the Legal Action Group – have written to the home and
Deepcut widow faces deportation
The widow of a black soldier from Deepcut army barracks, who was shot in suspicious circumstances last year, now faces deportation to Jamaica. Last Boxing Day, Mario O’Brien Clarke was shot dead in Hackney while he was off duty. The army maintains that his death is not connected to the other four suspicious deaths of
MEP calls for immediate halt to deportations
London MEP Jean Lambert has called for an immediate halt to deportation of asylum seekers following the breakdown of European negotiations on minimum standards for deciding asylum claims. Home secretary David Blunkett and fellow Justice ministers meeting in Luxembourg last week abandoned their meeting without reaching agreement on how EU members should decide asylum claims.
Australia signs refugee deal with Iran – will Europe follow?
The government of Iran has signed a deal with Australia agreeing, for the first time, to accept back rejected asylum seekers. The deal could set a precedent for Europe where there are about 10,000 Iranian asylum seekers, whose claims have been rejected. On 12 March 2003, Phillip Ruddock announced that the Australian government had signed
Abbas Amini gets leave to remain but continues protest
Abbas Amini, an asylum seeker from Iran who has stitched up his ears, eyes and lips, is continuing his protest on behalf of all asylum seekers, though the Home Office has been refused permission to appeal against the original decision to allow him indefinite leave to remain. Amini’s protest, against the way he and other
We will stay here and die say refugees at frontier
A spokesman for 700 Roma refugees stranded on the Macedonian border says they are prepared to die where they are – if refused the right to cross into Greece. Doctors are already warning that, without proper shelter, food, water and medical care, deaths could occur at any time among the refugees which include 270 children,